OHSU

POLST

The Oregon POLST Registry is an electronic record of POLST forms designed to provide POLST orders to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) if the POLST form cannot be immediately found. The Registry is housed at OHSU behind a protective firewall keeping this health information secure and confidential. All patients with Oregon POLST forms are encouraged to submit both sides of their completed and signed form to the Registry.

Oregon POLST Registry Information

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment
The Oregon POLST Registry is an electronic record of POLST forms designed to provide POLST orders to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) if the POLST form cannot be immediately found.

The Registry is housed at OHSU behind a protective firewall keeping this health information secure and confidential. All patients with Oregon POLST forms are encouraged to submit both sides of their completed and signed form to the Registry. Unless the patient opts out of the Registry, forms can be faxed or mailed by the patient, surrogate or health care professional directly to the Registry office.

How to Submit a POLST form to the Oregon POLST Registry
2008 or newer versions of POLST

In August 2008 the POLST form was revised to include an expanded demographics box which allows for more personal identifying information to be included on the form. Submitting these forms to the Registry is simple.

Step 1. Fill out the form

Step 2. Confirm these required items are completed:

  • Full name (first, mi, last)
  • Date of birth
  • Section A order selection
  • Professional signature AND date signed
Step 3. Fax or mail a copy of the front AND back sides of the POLST form to the Registry office.

    FAX or eFAX: 503-418-2161
    Please provide a fax coversheet with contact information in case we have any questions. Patients may opt out of the Registry by checking the "opt out" box on the reverse side of the form. If the patient does not opt out their POLST form must be submitted to the Registry.

    For more information:
    POLST Program
    POLST Registry

Background

Terri Schmidt

The Registry project began under the leadership of Terri Schmidt M.D. in January 2008 in response to a need expressed by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to access POLST orders when they arrived on the scene of a medical emergency, and could not immediately locate the original POLST form. The development of the test and pilot systems were funded by a grant from the Greenwall Foundation along with additional private philanthropy. The project is a collaboration of the Oregon POLST Task Force, the OHSU Center for Ethics in Health Care and the OHSU Department of Emergency Medicine.

The first phase of the project consisted of designing the electronic Registry and was completed in December 2008. In January 2009, the second phase began, with system training and testing of the developed Registry by the project team, the OHSU Emergency Communications Center and EMS professionals in Clackamas County. May 2009 marked the roll out of the third phase or "pilot" of the Oregon POLST Registry with initiation in Clackamas County on May 26, 2009. Concurrently, legislation was introduced to partner with the state Department of Human Services and newly formed Oregon Health Authority to address HIPAA requirements and to secure support for statewide expansion. The legislation became law on July 1, 2009 and the Registry office began accepting forms from all of Oregon. Implementation of the statewide Registry in all Oregon communities began in December 2009.